Where did all the Websurfers go?

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More on blocked sites for .mil
websurfers

More on blocked sites for .mil
websurfers 06/02/2004 06:28 PM
Following up on this BoingBoing post about rumors that access to TheMemoryHole is being blocked on military computers in Iraq, BoingBoing reader John -- who has a sister in the Army -- says,

It gets better. Awhile back I sent my sister a link to th e story about the man who could make art in cappuccino. She tried to access the story from the military hospital where she works. Here's what she sent back:

"for whatever reason, i can't open that from work. they blocked it and the screen pops up saying

Problem Report. Request Cannot be processed.Problem Cause -- A communication error occurred: "Operation timed out." Note: If the request was denied due to the Content Filterconfiguration. The content category reported is Gen. News. Possible Solution If you feel this site was blocked in error, please contact the HelpDesk at DSN 371-2098 or send an email to. IMD Help Desk.

WARNING! All web activity is logged and monitored by IMD. Unauthorized use of government information systems may lead to disciplinary action or prosecution.

so, i will have to check that out later."

[John continues:]If the request was denied due to the Content Filter configuration is a sentence fragment, but with The content category reported is Gen. News. and If you feel this site was blocked in error, please contact the Help Desk the meaning is clear enough. For whatever reason, "General News" is not fit for our troops. I've been meaning to send her a list of links and ask her if she'd be willing to try to access them (Newsweek? New York Times? Common Dreams? Freerepublic.com [a conservative site]? townhall.com [another conservative site]?) I'm also curious what other kinds of sites she can't visit (geek news? music news? yahoo? wikipedia?) and whether she's prohibited from visiting these sites at work because she's /at work/, or if she's encouraged not to pursue the news in general.

Update: blocked sites for .mil
websurfers

Update: blocked sites for .mil
websurfers 06/09/2004 10:43 AM
Joi Ito points us to an interesting comment by one of his blog's readers, in response to this BoingBoing post about rumors some websites such as The Memory Hole may be blocked for access by military personnel in Iraq.

I'm on a civilian owned internet right now. That means if I chose, I can search for pornographic material right at this moment if I felt so inclined. However on a military computer, we use internet which is connected to a military owned server, broadcasted by our own Sattelites. These frequencies get filtered based on what the military deems is right and wrong. This includes shopping, games, pornographic material, dating services, chat lines, and perhaps some Blogs.

For those who felt they weren't being blocked from ANY site, well, if all you try to go to is Yahoo.com, then come on. Try out "bigkinkygirls.com" or something on a military computer. Or access a hate or racist site. Good luck. Sometimes, due to the filters, a site containing news and information may be blocked without the intention of cencorship. Such as some adult software blocks a childs report on Mule's simply because the webpage had the word ass in it.

NIPR's "Websense" software is strict and server based. And is controlled by a higher leveled ISO. If there is any doubt to the web pages contents, contacting the help desk should help them realise the mistake, and fix the situation upon investigation. But NIPR would rather block any suspected webpage, than allow one to slip through. But in the luckier parts of Iraq, the soldier is free to walk into a KBR internet cafe without cost. And many units supply them with free internet so that we may research, email our families, or simply have a good time at one of our favorite Blogs.

PFC "Zaku", 47th FSB, 1AD Baghdad

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What young Iranian websurfers want:
softcore porn?

What young Iranian websurfers want:
softcore porn? 01/09/2004 09:56 PM
Persian blogger Hoder writes:

If you need a proof that Iranian youngsters don't have any interest in politics, you must see this stats report for the most popular Iranian websites. You see that a website called Jeegar is on the top with over 100,000 visitors everyday. It's content: links to mainly soft porn material on the Net. The next website is Gooya, a simple but old and lucky directory of popular Iranian websites; next is Baztab, a political news website close to the center of the right; then is Dalghak, an entertainment portal without any particular content; and Gooya News is next which is the most popular news site close to the reformists and the left in general, with only 30,000 visitors.(...)

Looking at the details of Jeegar.com's stats report, there is no doubt in my mind that what the young Iranian wants is not necessarily an open, transparent government. They need to have fun like all other people in their age group in the World. Although you sometimes do not know what exactly should come first: the democratic and secular government, or social freedoms.

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Where did all the Websurfers go?

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